KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)?s chief Altaf Hussain said Tuesday that the salaries of police personnel across the country be at par with Punjab Police.

In a statement issued from London, he said despite Prime Minister?s announcement, the decision about increase in the salaries of police is not implemented in Sindh and Balochistan, saying that is why police officials were compelled to protest in Balochistan.

The MQM Chief said the police personnel in the whole country be paid salaries to reduce their financial burden so that they can perform their duties with honesty and utmost efficiency.

He urged the Prime Minister and the President to take immediate notice of this important issue.

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NEW DELHI: Pakistan has lodged a strong protest at cross-border firing from the Indian army, an Indian TV reported Tuesday.

It said that the Pakistan?s foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner and protested the firing incident.

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Pakistan News

LAHORE

THE plaza scam, allegedly involving Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, led to complete disorder in the Punjab Assembly on Monday whose p

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WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday the global economy was poised to rebound from last year’’s contraction and grow 3.9 percent, better than previous forecasts.

The IMF said the overall world economy would swing back to growth after the global decline in output of 0.8 percent last year, which it says was the first contraction since World War II, but said the recovery was still “fragile.”

The 2010 growth forecast was 0.8 percent higher than the 3.1 percent estimated four months ago, with sluggish recovery in advanced economies offset by “relatively vigorous” growth in emerging and developing economies.

“The global recovery is off to a stronger start than anticipated earlier but is proceeding at different speeds in the various regions,” the IMF said in an update of its October World Economic Outlook report.

The United States, the world’’s largest economy, was expected to post gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2.7 percent in 2010, a sharp 1.2 percent increase from the prior forecast.

China, the emerging market leader and massive engine of the global recovery, will see growth accelerate to 10.0 percent this year, a full 1.0 percent higher than previously estimated.

The IMF held unchanged its growth forecast for Japan, saying the second-largest economy would expand at 1.7 percent.

The 16-nation eurozone’’s GDP was set to expand 1.0 percent, up from the prior 0.3 percent estimate.

Advanced economies overall would grow by 2.1 percent, much slower than the 6.0 percent pace seen for the emerging and developing economies.

Global production and trade bounced back in the second half of 2009, and “confidence rebounded strongly on both the financial and real fronts, as extraordinary policy support forestalled another Great Depression,” the Washington-based institution said.

An “extraordinary” amount of policy stimulus was driving the global recovery, the IMF said, noting there were still few signs that private demand not stimulated by governments was taking hold, “at least in advanced economies.

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JOHANNESBURG: South African coach Mickey Arthur has resigned from his post after reportedly having differences with Captain Graeme Smith.

Arthur’’s axeing comes just days before the South African team’’s departure for India on Saturday for a two-match Test series between the two top-ranked teams in Test cricket. India recently took over the top spot from South Africa.

High performance coach Corrie van Zyl, a former fast bowler, has been appointed acting coach for Indian tour while Cricket SA starts the process to find a long-term successor.

The highlights of Arthur’’s tenure were Test series wins in England and Australia in 2008. South Africa achieved the official number one ranking in both Test and one-day cricket during his time in charge.

Reports claimed that Arthur’’s decision to resign followed an irreparable breakdown in the relationship with Smith but a source said Arthur’’s departure was the result of a decision by the CSA board.

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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday canceled the orders of Inspector General of Police to downgrade 54 DSPs to OSDs.

According to sources, the court, terming the orders illegal, called it off and also gave instructions for their restoration as DSPs.

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PESHAWAR: The NWFP government has expelled 55 employees Tuesday for having connection with extremists.

The decision was taken at a high profile meeting headed by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti.

The meeting was attended by senior ministers Bashir Ahmed Billour, Rahim Dad Khan besides administrative secretaries.

The CM was told, during the meeting, that 155 employees of various departments were facing charges of having connection with militants. Out of which 55 were axed from their jobs and departmental actions were being underway for 83 other officials.

It may be noted that the list includes 120 workers of education department, 4 of police, 2 of watershed on farm management and 3 workers of public health engineering.

The CM ordered to complete the inquiry within a month?s time, saying except the departmental actions, the alleged government officials should be treated according to the law.

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NEW DELHI: A day after Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan called the January 19 IPL auction snub ?humiliating? for Pakistani cricketers, Home Minis

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Karachi

The graduates of the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) returned to Pakistan after receiving an overwhelming response at the 1

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MANSEHRA: Punjab?s Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that people would get free of cost education and health facilities if Mian Nawaz Sharif became the country?s Prime Minister again.

Addressing a public gathering in Mansehra, he said that people, who plundered Rs9 billion from the Punjab Bank, could not digest the prosperity of people of Punjab.

They were now trying to mislead the people through their propaganda campaign, he said.

He reiterated that people would get Roti in Rs2 only if they came into power.

Citing the example of Britain, he said the government of non-Muslim nation provides free of cost facilities, from children feed to education to their citizens, while Pakistan could not become a welfare state even after 65 years of its existence.

Corruption and bribery are in full swing in the country, while there is no respect for law, he said.

Commenting on the achievements of Punjab government and previous Nawaz-led regime, he said that Pakistan would be turned into an exemplary state if Nawaz Sharif came into power again.

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